Fawcett Homes: The Candlewood | architect Eglis Hermanovski | photos Grayson Tewksburry

GLASS IS used abundantly everywhere in the Candlewood. There's a huge window wall facing the rear that runs along the entire width of the living room and dining room. And there are high windows along the kitchen wall, facing the front.

With so much glass area, the location of the house in relationship to the points of the compass is of primary importance. You wouldn't want the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room to face the north where icy blasts would hit it in the winter. Nor would you want it facing west, unless you had a roof overhang wide enough to protect it from the fierce, low rays of the setting sun. For heat-saving's sake, you would want to put as few windows as possible on your north side; you'd rather block off the winds from the north with a blank wall. If you like to sleep late in the morning, you might not want to have a bedroom window facing east, because the rays of the early sun might wake you.

Other factors must also be considered. For example, you could put your big windows in the west if they had large shade trees in front to block out the sun in summer. The trees would shed their leaves in winter, letting the sun through. Then you would get free solar heat. Or, if the layout of your lot were such that you found it desirable to place your picture windows in a northerly direction, you could locate a screen of evergreen shrubs a distance away. They would serve as a buffer against the chilling north winds.

One suitable location for the Candlewood would be with its front entrance facing west. Windows on that side would be protected against the summer sun by the wide roof overhang. The living-dining room would gain the benefit of both a southern and an eastern exposure. Only one room-the small bedroom-would have a window facing north. The other bedrooms would be protected against north winds by a blank wall and by large closets.

The outdoor dining area would be on the southeast corner. That's a delightfully cool spot in the evening; the sun is hitting the house at the opposite corner.

Most people will like the way modern materials are used in their natural state in the Candlewood. Typical of this use is the exterior. It is a blend of fieldstone and wood treated to maintain its natural colors. Inside, this use of natural materials is dramatized by the handsome fireplace with its impressive stone facing.

Although the Candlewood has many charming features, it is not a big house and could be built on a modern budget. Construction is simple. For example, the car is sheltered by a carport of extremely economical design. Savings are also effected by the single bathroom which can be reached both from the master bedroom and the hall. The bathroom's central location means that it will always be at least as warm as the rest of the house-a consoling thought as you step from your shower on a wintry morning.

You'll like the privacy afforded by the rear terrace. An ideal spot for entertaining, it can be used in most sections for eight or nine months of the year. It is sheltered on three sides by the outdoor dining porch, the living room, and the master bedroom respectively. You can finish the terrace economically with concrete or flagstone.